Smylie Kaufman reveals the 2 shots every amateur needs

If you want to lower your scores, learning from someone who’s been there can make all the difference. Think of it like getting directions — you’d want guidance from someone who knows the roads well and has driven them before.

Someone like Smylie Kaufman, a PGA Tour winner and trusted on-course reporter for NBC Sports. With Kaufman’s firsthand experience and expert insight, he’s uniquely qualified to dole out golf advice to amateurs who want to sharpen their game — and he shared a few words of wisdom when we ran into him at the 2025 PGA Show.

In the video above, Kaufman revealed two areas of the game that amateurs overlook most: bunker shots and putting. These blind spots might be costing you strokes on the course, but with Kaufman’s advice you can change the way you practice and finally break your scoring barrier.

According to Kaufman, most amateurs who play in pro-ams struggle with their short game, specifically their bunker shots. He says spending more time focusing on your fundamentals from the sand could be the difference between shooting in the triple digits and breaking 90.

“I grit my teeth when I see a square clubface in a bunker,” Kaufman says. “Just realizing how to play out of sand and having good speed [with putting] — that’s an easy way, if you’re a 100 shooter, to get down to the 90s. If you have good speed on the greens and you know how to get out of the sand, I feel like that cuts down on some strokes.”

Developing your speed is the fastest way to cut down on three-putts. Not only will your first putts be closer to the hole, but you’ll have more confidence over your second putt, which is key over those testy 4-footers.

While it’s no surprise that amateurs struggle with their short game, knowing exactly where to focus is key. By dedicating more time to honing your speed on the greens and mastering your bunker technique, you’ll be better equipped (and more confident) when you encounter these shots on the course.